Separable button or stud.



Patented sept.i2, |902.

J.A L. VBEDENBURGH. SEPARABLE BUTTON 0R STUD.

(Appximion med .mm 11, 1902.1

' UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.I

JOHN L. VREDENBURGH, OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

SEPARABLE BUTTQN y0R` STUD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentlNo. 708,181, datedSeptember 2, 1902. Application filed .Tune 11, 1902. Ser-iwal No.111,177. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. VEEDENBURGH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Austin, in the county ofTravis and State of Texas,y

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separable Buttonsor Studs, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to separable buttons or studs-such as collarshirt-studs, and the like-of that type in which the article comprises aback or base portion provided with a stem and coupling member and a headprovided with means to coact therewith, whereby the parts may be coupledwhen properly rheld by a relative axial movement followed bya turningmovement and uncoupled by a reverse operation and in which means areprovided to lock the parts when coupled against accidental relativeturning, whereby the accidental uncoupling or separation of the headfrom the base and stem is prevented. y

The object of the invention is to provide a strong durable button orstud constructed of parts which may be quickly and cheaply made andassembled, whereby the cost of v manufacture of the article is reducedto the minimum and in which the separable parts may be easilymanipulated to couple or uncouple the same and will be securely lockedin the former condition against accidental separation.

To this end the invention comprises the construction and arrangement ofthe two parts of a separable button or stud, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

One embodiment of the invention isillustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical .sectional yiew of a buttonembodying the invention, drawn to a greatly-enlarged scale. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the back of the buttons.. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofthe same. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan View of the head. Fig. 5 is a planview of the inner face of the plate forming the base of the head, andFig. 6 is a perspective view of the same.

In this embodiment of the invention the head of the button is indicatedby the letter and culr" buttons,Y

`latter is, provided with an axially-arranged stem'c, having a centralbore which receives a coiled spring d and being further provided at ornear its end with a laterally-extending flange e, forming a lockingmember, as will be hereinafter described.

The head 01,D is preferably convex in form and provided with adishedbase-plate g, secured at its edge in any suitable manner to theedge of the head proper, and secured to the under side of the latterandprojecting therefrom is an axially-arranged short stud h, which is ofa diameter which will permit it to enter the bore of the st em c whenthe parts are coupled. The Vplate g is provided with an opening c aboutsaid stud to permit of the passage ofy the end of the stem c, and aconcentric extension c', conforming in shape to the contour of theflange e, through which the same may be passed in the coupling act-ion.l

In coupling the two parts of the button the stud h is inserted in thebore of stem c, its end bearing upon the spring (land the opening cbrought to register with the flange e. The parts are then pressedtogether against the tension of the spring d, the latter being com-vpressed between the end of the stud A and the bottom of the bore of thestem c until the liange e passes through the opening c and occupies aposition within the head a. With theparts held in this position they areturned relatively to each other to bring the ilange e out of registerwith the opening c', when the compression on said parts is relieved. Thespring d then exerts a tension upon the parts to force them apart; butas the flange eis out ot' register with opening c' the separationthereof cannot take place. Y

In actual use both the head and the back of a button are subject topmore or less rub"- bing, which in a button of this type tends to turn ortwist the parts, and'if no means were provided to prevent this movementthe opening c' in the plate g and the flange c might accidentally bebrought into' register, when the parts would separate. In the presentinventiou a very simple and inexpensive arrangement or construction isprovided to lock the parts when coupled against accidental separation.This locking means comprises two small lugs, which are struck up fromthe plate g on the inside thereof, and are, in fact, formed by bendingup at right angles a part of the material displaced in forming theopening c. These lugs Ii are formed at the juncture of the openings cand c" and extend from the wall of one to the wall of the other. Theyare thus located on diametrically opposite sides of the center of thearc formed by the walls of said slots. Vhen the head is pressed on thestem, as before described, and given a half-turn and the parts relievedof pressure, the spring d tends, as premised, to force the parts apart,and the ange is thus drawn down behind said lugs, the radial edgesthereof abutting the vertical faces of the same, so that the turning ofthe partsin either direction is prevented. The flange c forms an arc ofslightly less than one hundred and eighty degrees, so that when turnedin locking position it accurately iits behind said lugs and looseness orplay of the head is prevented. By making this locking part in the formof a single piece and of the shape described it will in the relativeturning movement of the parts ride upon the upper ends of the lugsduring the turning movement of the parts in either direction from thevery beginning of said movement until it either drops down behind thesame in locked position or in front of the same and is ejected by theforce of spring 7L through opening c/ and the parts nncoupled.

I am aware that it is not novel to provide a separable button or studcomprisinga base with a stem having locking projections and a headhaving means associated therewith adapted to interlock with saidprojection by giving the parts relative axial movement followed byrelative turning movement to couple the parts together and to separatethe parts by a similar movement, the means in the head being arranged toprevent the accidental relative turning when the parts are coupled, andI do not claim the same broadly.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is#

l. In combination in a separable button, a base provided with a stem, alocking projection thereon and ahead provided with a plate having anopening therein to permit of the passage of the stem and projection,said parts being adapted to be turned to couple the head and stem, andoppositely-disposed lugs struck up from the plate designed to coact withsaid projection to prevent the relative rotation of the parts when incoupled position.

2. In a separable button or stud ofthe type described, a back or basemember, a stem extending therefrom, a locking member projectinglaterally from the stem having two radial locking edges, a head, a platecarried thereby designed to interlock with said projection, and twointerlocking lugs on said plate adapted to provide a bearing for theprojection on the stem in the relative turning movement of the parts,and to confine said projection between the same when in locked positionwith the radial edges of said projection abutting said lugs, and atensionspring interposed between said head and said base member,substantially as described.

3. In a separable button, a base having a stem, an arc-shaped lateralprojection carried by the stem of slightly less area than a halfcircle,a head, a base-plate secured thereto having an opening therethrough ofthe contour of the end' of said stem and projection, to permit of thepassage of the same when in register, and lugs arranged on the plate ondiametrically opposite sides of the opening for the stem, said lugsbeing adapted to coact with the radial edges of the lateral projectionto lock the head and stem against relative turningmovement,substantially as described.

4. In a separable button, a back or base member having a stem, a flatarc-shaped projection extending laterally therefrom having radiallocking edges, a head, a plate secured thereto having an opening thereinconforming in contour to the end of the stern and said projection, andoppositely-arranged vertical lugs struck up from said plate on the innerface thereof, said projection being adapted to ride upon the upper edgesof the lugs in the relative turning movement of the parts and to dropbehind the lugs and abut thereagainst to prevent said relative turningmovement, substantially as described.

5. In aseparable button or the like, a head, a stud projecting axiallytherefrom, a baseplate for the head secured thereto and having an axialopening therein, and an arc-shaped concentric extension thereof, lugsprojecting from the inner face of the plate at thejuncture of the mainopening and the extension of the same and extending from the wall of oneto the wall of the other, a back or base member having an axial stemsecured thereto provided with a central bore, a spring housed thereinadapted to be compressed by said stud, and a laterally-projectingarc-shaped projection on said stem forming a locking member,substantially as described.

6. In a separable stud or the like, the combination with a back or basemember having an axial stem and a projection thereon, of a headincluding a plate having an opening therethrough conforming in contourto the end of the stem and the projection carried thereby, and lugsstruck up from the metal displaced from said opening and extended atright angles to the plate on the inner face thereof, said lugs coactingwith said projection to provide a lock, and a spring for seating theprojection behind said lugs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. VREDENBURGH.

XVitnesses:

PAUL I-I. SMITH, T. A. ROSE.

IOO

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